Shinjuku-sanchome
Shinjuku-sanchome
Station lies on the Tokyo
Metro Marunouchi and the Toei Shinjuku
Lines in Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo.
It is located just south-east of
Shinjuku Station and is connected
to it by an underground passageway
and a shopping mall.
Directly
above Shinjuku-sanchome subway station
is Isetan Department Store
, one of the most famous
department stores in Tokyo. Prices
at Isetan range from medium to high.
The basement floor is the food hall
with a large array of different
food counters.
Hanazono
Shrine
Three
minute walk from Shinjuku-sanchome
Station is the Hanazono Shinto Shrine.
Established by the Naito Shinjuku
Family during the Edo period, this
shrine has long been known as the
protector of Shinjuku district.
Several deities are enshrined at
Hanazono Shrine, but chief among
them is Yamato-takeru-no-Mikoto,
to whom the shrine is dedicated.
Yamato-takeru-no-Mikoto is a legendary
4th-century imperial prince who
at the behest of Yamato Court, conquered
barbaric aboriginal tribes. According
to legend, when he died, his soul
took the form of a swan and flew
away.
Hanazone
Shrine is a popular destination
for both businessmen and farmers,
as praying here is said to bring
good soil condition for farmers
and prosperity in business.
Every
Sunday an Antique Market
(kotto ichi)
is held around the shrine. This
popular market is known to have
some of the best buys around, from
ancient pottery and glass items
to brand new furniture and curios.
An
annual festival
is held at the shrine every Saturday,
Sunday, and Monday closest to May
28th. The main feature of the festival
is a parade of a magnificent miniature
shrine accompanied by Shinto festival
music players. The parade starts
at Hanazono Shrine and proceeds
along Yasukuni Street, Shinjuku
Street and Meiji Street. This energetic
festival attracts crowds in large
numbers.
In
the month of November, Hanazono
Shrine holds the Torinoichi
Festival . Also known as
the Lucky Rake Festival
, it celebrates the gods
of luck and business prosperity.
An open air market is the main feature
of the festival, where a large number
of different stalls are set up.
Most of these stalls sell a large
variety of decorated bamboo rakes.
People flock to the shrine during
the festival to buy these rakes
to "rake in" good luck
and prosperity.
Shinjuku
Suehirotei
The Shinjuku Suehirotei is one of
the most prestigious traditional
theatre companies of Tokyo. This
Japanese-style vaudeville theater
offers rakugo (comic storytelling),
manzai (a comic dialogue - usually
put on by two people), kodan (storytelling),
and magical shows. Shinjuku Suehirotei
is located just 1 minute walk from
Shinjuku-sanchome Station.
